Whether you’re in your teen days, the 30s or 50s, or even above, back pain takes a toll on people of all ages. And we all want to get rid of this struggle just as soon as possible. Pilates ball exercises for back pain are one among many ways to keep back pain at bay and cheer up because we’re going to discuss that today.
Also regarded as a swiss ball or gym ball, a pilates ball is a cute, large ball that has more to offer than just sitting. It is extensively used for bolstering spinal and abdominal muscles.
Nearly 67% of the people between the age bracket of 17 to 30 are suffering from lumbar back pain, the reason being- poor body posture and no exercise. In today’s hectic lifestyles, exercising has been a matter of reading and talking. Still, a major part of the global population hardly indulges in the practical execution of workout plans.
Let’s talk about the pilates ball exercises that’ll keep back pain at bay.
Table of Contents
Pilates Ball Exercises For Back Pain
Lying improperly in bed or sitting in chairs for prolonged hours without a break are the key reasons to blame for back pain. Nonetheless, these below-stated pilates ball exercises will help you with back pain, and you won’t need to bite off more than you can chew, seriously.
1. Lay Over Stretching
- In this exercise, you must lay over the pilates ball on your back.
- Stretch your arms over your head as you stretch your body gradually.
- Hold the position for half a minute and do this in 3 to 5 reps 5 times a day. This count can be increased to take 6 to 8 reps 10 times a day.
The same stretch can be done lying on your front body with your face facing the floor.
- Place your palms on the ground and feet steady in balance while you stretch your body.
- Ensure to maintain a firm and steady position without jerking any muscles.
2. Lat Stretching
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- Place the pilates ball near you and sit on the floor with your legs folded backward (not in a crossed-leg position).
- Now stretch your arm outwards in your front at shoulder level and keep the palms on the ball.
- Now get as far as you can from the ball but bear in mind that your palms should be in contact with the ball.
- Lean forwards with your chest and face downwards and hold onto this position for about 30 seconds to a minute. Repeat this pilates ball exercise 6 to 10 times daily.
Ensure that you don’t overpressure any of your muscles and leave as and when it starts to feel uneasy.
3. Bridge Exercise
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The bridge exercise is another pilates ball exercise that will assist you in getting relief from backache.
- Firstly, you need to lie down straight on the floor and, with the help of a person, place your calves on the pilates ball.
- Now stretch out your arms towards the direction of your legs with your palms facing the floor.
- Putting a little pressure on your arm muscles and calves, try to push or lift your pelvis/buttocks upwards.
- Hold the position for about 20-25 seconds and ensure your back doesn’t bend.
- Then gradually come to the former position. Do this swiss ball exercise 5 times in a set of 3 reps and gradually increase the set count to 10.
Apart from being an impeccable core-strengthening exercise, it is also beneficial for the arm muscles as well as the calf muscles of an individual.
Once you become a pro of this, you can level up your exercising by trying to get balanced on a single leg.
4. Spinal Rotations
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Spinal rotations might seem a little frightening, but it actually isn’t. In fact, it strengthens the core as well.
To start with:
- Sit straight on a pilates ball.
- Raise your hands at shoulder length or keep them at your waist.
- Make sure that your feet are on the floor comfortably.
- Slowly rotate your upper body towards one side (either right or left) without moving your feet, and hold the position for as long as you can.
- Now, slowly come back to the normal sitting position (or your former position) before going for another round of rotation in the opposite direction.
Be gradual while doing this gym ball exercise as it can get the spinal cord injured, which is nobody’s first or even last choice for sure. Be consistent and redo this exercise in 5 reps on each side, 2 to 3 times a day.
5. Ball Roll-Out Exercise
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- Sit down, kneeling while the swiss ball is placed at a very less distance in front of you.
- Now place your forearms on the ball, pushing it a little far but not lifting the forearms.
- This position has to be held for about 15 to 20 seconds, and then roll the ball backward, putting it close to yourself. This can be done in 10 reps 3 times a day.
Pilates ball exercises have not just been a trend but are an effective way to overcome several problems arising out of postural deformities and prolonged sitting. Working professionals and even kids and teens are quite in the grasp of severe backache these days. That’s why it is suggested to perform the above-listed 5 swiss ball exercises with utmost care and, if possible, under the supervision of a certified and experienced trainer or expert.